Co-evolution of plants and soils: a comparative approach

This micro-CT video shows the internal structure of a soil with associated cryptogamic (moss, lichen) ground cover. Non-destructive imaging techniques like micro-CT allow us to categorise and document the internal structure and components of these micro-soils.

We are also studying specimens of 400-million-year-old Rhynie chert held in the Museum collections. These exceptionally well-preserved sediments from Scotland record associations between a diverse range of organisms.